US thwarted plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Pannun: Report
The United States (US) government thwarted a plan to assassinate designated Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, the Financial Times reported. The US also warned India, expressing concerns about New Delhi's possible involvement in the plot. It is unclear whether US intelligence intervened and foiled the plan or whether its protest to the Indian government led to the plan getting abandoned. Pannun, general counsel of the US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), holds both American and Canadian citizenship.
Why does this story matter?
The latest story follows Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claim in September that agents connected to the Indian government were involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Khalistan advocate, in Canada. India vehemently denied these allegations, resulting in a diplomatic dispute and an unparalleled decline in relations between the two nations. The Indian government has labeled Pannun a terrorist, and he is currently being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a threat video targeting Air India.
How Pannun responded to life threat
Pannun chose not to comment on the alleged plot, stating he would "let the US government respond to the issue of threats to my life on American soil from Indian operatives." Recently, Pannun stirred controversy by releasing a video message warning people planning to fly with Air India on November 19 that their "lives would be in danger." However, he later clarified that he was not making a violent threat against the airline but was just calling for its boycott.
US contending to make allegations public: Report
The Financial Times, citing anonymous sources, also revealed that a US protest was issued in June when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his state visit to the country. Furthermore, the American daily said that the US Justice Department (DOJ) was deciding whether to make its allegations public or to wait until Canada concluded its investigation into Nijjar's assassination. Notably, one person named in the DOJ's indictment has reportedly left America already.
NIA raids 14 places in Punjab, Haryana over SFJ links
Earlier on Wednesday, India's prime anti-terrorism agency, the NIA, raided the properties of individuals linked to the SFJ and its chief, Pannun. Fourteen houses were raided by the central agency. They include those located in Punjab's Khanna and Moga. In Haryana, properties located in Yamuna Nagar and Kurukshetra were searched. The NIA first registered a case against Pannun in 2019, and he has been under scrutiny since then.
